Eco Fashion World

Modrobes on the EPIC runway

 

Eco Fashion World spent a fun filled weekend at EPIC, Vancouver’s sustainable living expo. The team had a great time at the tradeshow with the eco-fashion marketplace and fashion shows, a sustainable wedding-showcase, numerous beauty products to browse through, and a chic local foods and beverage tasting lounge. We snapped some shots of some stylish eco attendees, and asked them what they were wearing.

Looking for something fun, fashionable and educational to do this month? Check out some of these eco fashion events from around the globe.

ICA WATERMELON

 

On April 27th, fashion lovers swarmed F.A.T. (Fashion Art Toronto) to attend "Natural Currencies" – the second night of Alternative Fashion Week in Toronto, that hosted thought-provoking artistic exhibits and a myriad of creative fashion collections all examining the topic of sustainability & fashion. Kelly Drennan of Fashion Takes Action opened the night by reminding us that sustainable fashion today is no longer the granola clothing of the past. Today it is trend-setting garments made from upcycled and environmentally friendly fabrics manufactured in a fair working environment. Kelly introduced the first four collections including Loft 604, Jool, Kali and Worth by David C. Wigley.

In Toronto on April 27, Alternative Fashion Week presents Natural Currencies as part of their week long celebrations of fashion and the arts. This night showcases nature loving collections from men's wear label Loft 604, a sustainable street collection by David C. Wigley and environmentally responsible line from Kali. Eco clothing line ica watermelon by Julia Knüpfer, brings a fresh look at green fashion from Germany. Colleen Booth conveys cozy comfort with her reclaimed men's wear label. Toronto's favorite sewing school The Make Den creates chic vintage inspired party dresses. Calgary based Mackenzie Jones presents the seductive power of Mother Nature and Little.White.Dress brings romance and subtlety to the runway.

Edun has partnered with Refinery29 Reserve to offer exclusive pricing on Edun's socially conscious line. If you don't already know, Edun was founded by Bono and his wife Ali in 2005 with the commitment to create sustainable trade and promote local economic opportunities in Africa. They also include organic cotton in their collections, use natural fibers such as linen and silk, and support artisan skills including their African prints which they have come to be known for.

Don't miss Social Alterations and Slow Fashion Forward, with featured special guests Hélène Day Fraser, Faculty of Design & Dynamic Media, Emily Carr University of Art & Design and Katherine Soucie of Sans Soucie & (zero.O.lab), in Vancouver Canada on April 16th for an intimate international workshop on responsible fashion design and consumption.

Fostering the future of design talent with Industry Legends, Entrepreneurs and Innovators

AFINGO Fashion Forum will return to New York City on Friday, April 1 to host an interactive panel that connects fashion designers with esteemed fashion industry insiders. The forum will take place at the Fashion Institute of Technology's K.M. Amphitheater (Building D on 27th Street and Seventh Avenue).

"Imagine a giant clothing store where everything is free…"

With the introduction of professionally organised clothing swapping (or'swishing'), the tradition of swapping your gorgeous-but-unwanted clotheswith sisters, cousins, neighbours and friends has just got a whole lot bigger.The phenomenon of clothes swapping continues to evolve and flourish inAustralia with residents wising up to the fact that the estimated 1.7 milliondollars a year they misspend on unused items could be put to better useelsewhere.

EDUCATION FOR CHANGE 

The conference sessions at Vancouver ECO Fashion Week (VEFW) were designed and edited to help bridge the gap between responsible education and the business of fashion. If you are familiar with Social Alterations (SA), this would not come as a huge surprise; our organization is mandated toward this end. Myriam Laroche, VEFW President, brought us on board as a partner last year for this reason to facilitate dialogue and assist/support designers and the industry to make responsible business choices at VEFW.

BATTALION Photo by Jason Hargrove

 

As Vancouver Eco Fashion Week rolled into its second day showcasing eco conscious brands, designers, and new collections for fall 2011, the runway proved to be the centre of the action. Shows by Echo Rain Apparel, Anna Talbot, Filly, Jessica Milton, The Battalion, and Adhesif warmed up the catwalk with a variety ranging from simple cuts in earthy colours to faux furs with a classic vintage feel.

DAHLIA DRIVE Photos by Amy Williams Photography

 

Dahlia Drive is a new label out of Vancouver, where designer Wendy Van Riesen is inspired from the inside out, creating textures using her own back yard. Van Reisen rescues fashion from the urban wasteland by hand dying and silk screening vintage slips, reworked curtains and men's shirts. Da Vinci's anatomy popped up silkscreened onto slips and bodices. One bodice outfit, matched with a faux fur cape and knee high boots could easily be worn by creative queen Gaga herself. Bright colours of fuscia, green and yellows came down the runway alongside deep burgundies, ochres and moss, all layered using various dye methods that put the spotlight on texture. Layered tunics paired with leggings fluttered down the runway, the perfect outfit for gallery hoping and cocktail sipping. A few "party girl" ensembles missed the mark for me being character pieces more then ready-to-wear. However, someone I sat with mentioned how they loved the dress I deplored, reminding me of how individual taste is all the rage. All in all, the collection was artistic and eclectic, a visual feast for the eyes. With the designers artistic sensibility never compromised, there is something for everyone on Dahlia Drive.

Green is definitely the buzz-word at every fashion week and when it comes to showcasing new talent, London is the place to be. The British Fashion Council founded Estethica, sponsored by Monsoon, five years ago to showcase the growing movement of cutting edge designers committed to working eco sustainably. This was my fourth season covering Estethica in a row so I was already acquainted with the majority of the designers presenting this season. There's no doubt that Estethica has evolved to become the hub of London's ethical fashion industry. The success of this initiative, internationally the strongest of its kind, is evident in its rapid growth from its first season of 13 designers to over 20 for AW11's Estethica collective.

Vancouver Eco Fashion Week kicks off this Tuesday, promising seminars, runway shows, and meet-and-greet events to stimulate the senses of eco-conscious individuals and trend-setters alike.

Get a first look at cutting edge collections by ethically-motivated, enviro-friendly and innovative designers who have met Eco Fashion Week's Eco Criteria, at a plethora of runway shows spanning four days. Staged in the Salt Building in Vancouver's Olympic Village, the runway will host the fall 2011 collections from 22 eco-conscious designers from around the world.

ADIE AND GEORGE

 

The sun is beginning to peek through the clouds of New York City, fashion models are abound, flashing bulbs of photographers are plentiful, and design parties are the talk of the town; it is safe to say that fashion week has descended upon NYC. The fall trends have begun to emerge for 2011 and sustainable style has proven itself to be a trend that is here to stay. This weekend, the NOW'11 showcase will take the spotlight by displaying ethically produced fashion designs from emerging labels that help to redefine local and sustainable design for NYC.

SONJA PICARD COLLECTION

 

Some women have been married for years and have expressed a dissatisfaction for their current wedding rings. Some say that the style is outdated or does not suit them anymore. Some say that they did not have the funds at their wedding time to invest into a ring that they truly loved. This feedback has inspired the launch of 'Recycle Your Love', presented by the Sonja Picard Collection.

BRYANT McLEMORE SMITH

As part of Chicago’s commitment to becoming the greenest city in the U.S., Conscious Living TV, Mercedes Benz of Chicago and Chicago Gateway Green are pleased to present the second annual eco-fashion experience, Vert Couture, as a culmination to Chicago Fashion Focus 2010.

SETH AARON HENDERSON

Have you ever looked to the sky to get inspiration for what to wear? Well, this year’s Portland Fashion Week (PFW), held at the waterfront shipyards in Portland, OR from October 6-10, will give new meaning to the phrase “brightening up your closet.” The theme, ‘Solar is the New Black’ guides the launch of Spring/Summer 2011 collections from over 20 designers and highlights the city of Portland’s commitment to sustainability.

a.d.o. CLOTHING

Following on the success of EcoChic Geneva, EcoChic Singapore, and EcoChic Fashion runway events from the past three years, Green2greener (G2G) and Dr. Christina Dean will once again bring together some of the most innovative collections in sustainable fashion for EcoChic Asia on Wednesday, October 6, 2010. The one-day event will take place in collaboration with Interstoff Asia Essential in the Pacific Rim’s luxuriously fashionable Hong Kong. With twenty nine nightly celebrated fashion and accessory designers from fourteen Asian countries who have strong design and/or production roots in Asia, this next installment of Green2greener’s non-profit initiatives will set the stage for the future of sustainable fashion and a revival of cultural expressions.

A special event taking place during Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver this week involves an audience Q&A hosted by a group of industry professionals.

Digging Deeper: Audience Q&A
September 30th at 3:00 p.m., Creekside Community Centre

The Q&A Panel will consist of:

The Netherlands rock when it comes to eco fashion events at the moment. This weekend during Inside Design Amsterdam 2010, EFW blogger Annouk Post invites you to the hotel room exhibition ‘Sustainable Luxury’. This alluring yearly event is organized by Dutch glossy ELLE Living and will take place in the beautiful Lloyd Hotel. About 10.000 visitors and a big network of international press will visit this event where many designers and brands will showcase their products. ELLE asked Annouk Post to present her vision on sustainability in one of the enchanting hotel rooms. She invites visitors in her cupboardbed (with organic blankets by Yumeko) to tell you about new values of luxury in food, fashion, products and art.